Needle for use in the production of knitted fabrics



I April 7 R. K. MILLS 1,997,530

NEEDLE FOR USE IN THE PRODUCTION OF KNITTED FABRICS Filed Feb. 4, 1935 [u "lo/- Robe/iii. v'lls,

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- Allol w gs Patented Apr.; 9, .1935 I a PATE T-" NEEDLE on USE IN THE. PRODUCTION OF KNITTED memos Robert Kirkland Mills, Sherwood, Nottingham,

'England, assignor to Hosiery Developments Limited, Nottingham, England n Application February 4, 1933,Serial No. 655,236

, n In Great BritainFebruary 5,1932 1 f l 4 Claims. (oi. 66-421) This invention comprises improvements inneedles for, use in the production of knitted fabrics and refers more particularlyto needles of.

the pivoted latch type.

5 With latch needles as at present constructed the disadvantage exists that during the retraction of theneedle in stitch production to knockover there is a decided tendency for the closing latch to nip and have ashearing or scissoring action upon the loop of thread carried on the needle between the latch pivot and the needle hook, such shearingorscissoring action being.

caused by the progressively and rapidly decreasing angle between the closing latch and the needle 'shank'coupled with the simultaneous reced ing of the vertex of such angle pivot towards the hook. t An important object of the present invention from the latch is to provide a knitting needle wherein the aforesaid shearing or scissoring action is eliminated;

and with this object the needle in accordance of the latch pivot. 1

3 The pivoted latch of the improved needle is so shaped at the part thereof adjacent to, the pivot that the thread-accommodating space between a fully closed latch and the opposing face 1 of theneedle shank extendsdown to a position. to "or level with the latch substantially near pivot. i

pl'oyed with considerable advantage for produc ing all kinds of knitted fabric, it is especiallyap-s plicable for use in the production of knitted fabric embodying locked or tied stitches which prevent or resist laddering or roving in the fabric, and in particular to the production of that type of fabric described in the specification of my.

prior Patent No. 1,960,161 wherein the-locked or tied stitches are produced by passing a thread loop formed on the needle throughand, also closely around another loop on said needle so as to tie one loop upon another. n

In the production of ladderproof or ladder-v Although the improved needle can be em resisting fabric as above, duringthe retracting movement of the needle for. knocking over, the thread loop which is to be'retained on the needle is pulled down into :the base or vertexl of the an 1 gular. space betweenthe closing latch andthe needle shank near the latch pivot, iconsequently y it will be appreciated that. ifnany' shearing or sclssoring aetiontakes'place between the latch and the shank during the closing movementof the latch thereis a real danger of the set thread loop being nipped and/or sheared. Thisdanger is, however, obviated by constructing the needle I in accordance with the presentinvention; Additionally, during the final part of the retracting movement of the needle 1 for knocking-over the retained thread looptraverses the inner face prevent said retained thread loop from. inadvertently passing off the needle between the point of the needle and the tip or spoon of the latch, said hook point is in the present invention completely and snugly buried within a spoon or cupshaped portion at the latch tip in such a manher that the thread; cannot come into engage ment with said buried hook point, and is, con sequently passed into and retainedwithin the For the purpose of more-fully describing the nature of this invention, reference Wl HIIOW be made to the accompanyingtdrawing, wherein:

Figurel illustrates a single latch needle constructe'd'in accordance with the present invention, the latch being'shown in ,dottedlines in the half open and fully open positions. Figure 2 i1 lustrates a double latch needle applicable for producing on-ladder or ladder-resisting fabric.

In one convenient method lof carrying out the present invention the knitting needle is provided in the usual manner with a hook I and a latch 2 pivoted to theneedle shank '3 ashort distance from the hook. That part of theshank to which a latch is pivoted ispreferably formed with a swell or curved bulge 4 The pivoted orjointed part of" the "latch 2 may have a circular or approximately circular part-Sencircling' the pivot 6, said part 5 constituting an enlarged termination of a cranked portion l of the latch which is curved or,

shaped so as to extend at approximately right of the closed'latch, and inorderpositively to n angles to the main part of the latch. By this,

means, when the'latch is in the fully closed position, i. e. in engagement with the hook I, the

thread-accommodating space between the inner I 1 face of the latch and the opposing facefof "the shank above the pivot 6, extends down to a posi-' tion substantiallynear to or level with said pivot,

and the vertex 8 of the angle of said space is. somewhat rounded as distinguished from. a sharp or acute angle. i

A very important characteristic of the needle in accordance with this invention is that during the final half of the closing movement of the latch, in which closing movement the latch swings through an arc approximating 180, i. e. from a position wherein the latch extends at approximately right. angles to the shank as in'dicatedin dotted lines to a'position engaging'the hook, no

part of the latch has a scissoring actioniwiththe.

shank; consequently, during the retracting movement of the needle to knock-over, the. possibility of thread located in the vertex 8-of the aforesaid tance between the axisof the pivot 6 andcthevertex il of the thread-accommodating space is main-- tained constant or approximately so, instead of becoming gradually greater as is the case with all latch needles previously employed or. proposed.

Theshape of the latch at its. cranked part i is advantageously such as toprovide a substantially Ji-shaped recess on'its inner side between the main partv 2: and. the. enlarged circular part 5; and in so' 'shaping the latch it is found advantageous. to

forrnthepart 5. of involute shape, 1. e. eccentric to thepivot 6.

As before-stated; the improved: latch needle is particularly suitable for use in knittingnon-ladder 'orqladder-resisting fabric of the typebeforementioned wherein locked or tied stitches are produced bypassing a thread loop through and also closely aroundanother loop on the needle so as to: tie one loop upon, another. In knitting this type of fabric a'needle is employed as shown in Figure 2: of the accompanying drawings embodying. two latches 2 and H pivoted a suitable distance one below the other .to the needle'shank 3;;and1'in the formation of, a locked stitch the needle is projected. to an extent sufiicient to cause new thread to be fed between the two latches, the old loop. being cleared below the lower latch l I, and during the retracting movement of the needle said old loop is passed over the two latches and a loop formed from. the newly fed thread is knocked over While maintaining the old loop in the needle hook. During this retracting movement ofthe needle the old thread loop is pulled down into the vertex 8 of thespace between the top latch 2- and the needleshank; consequently if any scissoring action takes place between the said latch 2 and the opposed face of the shank,

I the said thread loop becomes nipped and'is liable "used in producing ladder resisfing fabrics,

to be cut or sheared; It,wi1l, therefore, be appreciated that 'by forming the upper. latch 2 with the cranked portion l as before-described this danger of nipping and/or shearing is eliminated.

Additionally, in a'needle constructed in accordance with the present invention the pointed extremity 9 of the needle hook 1 and/or spoon or tained between the closed latch and needle shank from passing out over the hook between the point-. edextremity of. same'and the coacting latch.

Thelast described characteristic is particularlyadvantageous when producing locked or tied stitches of the type before-mentioned as, in connection with suchstitches, the thread loop to be retained'on the needle within the hook has, during-the final knocking-over movement, a tendency toslide along the inner face of the latch and press itself out; between the hook and lat-ch tip.

I claim:.,

l. A knitting needle comprising .the combina-,

for the angular space between shank and latch a vertex which is .maintained at a substantially constant distance from the axis of. the latch pivot throughout. the final half ofthe closing: movement of the. latch that is, from a position substantially at rightzangles to the shank of the; needle to that wherein the latch is in engagement with the hook of the needle and lies approximately paralleL withathestembf the needle below. the.1hook,

'2. ,A. knitting needle having a combination of parts according to claim 1 andthe latch having a pivoted termination which is eccentric, to. the latch pivot. i i 3; A knittingneedle; comprising a'shank' with a'hooked extremity, a latchpivotedto said shank at a substantial distance from the hookedv end thereof and free to 'swing' into and. out of engagement with the hcokgthelatch being. of a length sufiicient; wheniin engagementwith the hook, to close a considerable space below the hook, and-formedat itspivoted end of an involute shape whereby the said pivoted. portion of the latch is cranked relative'to the main stem portion thereof, andthe adjacent facing; edges of the needle stemand. the'latch adjacent to the pivot being such that the vertex of the space between these parts is maintained substantially constant during the movement of the-latchfrom a: mid-horizontal position, to a vertical; closing position, thus overcoming,tendencyior a thread lying in. the said vertex to be sheared bythe closing-latch. p 4. A two latch knitting needle adapted to; be

ing its hooked end and the upper latch that coacts therewith constructed as stated in claim 3; 

